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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27356041">Guitarists Unite</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/MidoriTankian/pseuds/MidoriTankian'>MidoriTankian</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>System of a Down (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 02:27:45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,412</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27356041</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/MidoriTankian/pseuds/MidoriTankian</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Daron x reader for the homies<br/>and so i can simp</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Daron Malakian/Reader</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Guitarists Unite</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The date is December 15th, 2004. Snow falls gently in the morning chill as you wake up. The biting cold air makes it hard to get out from under the covers, but you manage. Today is an important day. Starting this evening is your first tour with your bandmates, and with System Of A Down. That’s right, your band is touring along with System for a week around the midwest of the United States. Excitement courses through every part of you. Soad is your favorite band, you never would have imagined you’d be in a tour bus with them day and night. Somehow one of your bandmates ended up being good friends with Serj last year. That’s where the opportunity sprouted. The thought of living in the same space as them made you nervous, yet hyped. All there is to do right now is get ready to meet up with your band. Then after everyone is together..the dream begins.</p>
<p>	Your white Fender Mustang guitar sparkles in the sunlight coming through the window. As you pack it into its sturdy case you think about the other guitarist who you will be spending this week with..<br/>
Daron Malakian. Nothing makes you more nervous about this trip than having to be around him the whole time. Will he get along with you? You can only hope. Hope and try not to be awkward when he talks- or even looks- at you. Heart racing, you complete your packing and get your stuff in the car to go to your band’s studio. The radio is already set to play from your phone; soad’s entire discography in one playlist. Of course. Simp.<br/>
If the thought of meeting Daron wasn’t nerve-wracking enough, it really didn’t help that the first song to play was Cigaro. You almost considered skipping it to avoid getting too worked up. The song is so good though, so you bear with it. It makes you even more excited to meet all of soad. You still can’t believe it’s really going to happen today...the drive to the studio seems like it’s gone on for hours when you finally arrive. Other familiar cars are parked in the front. Someone pulls up next to you, and rolls down their window. You can now hear BYOB blasting out of the window, and when you look, it’s Ivan, the bassist of your band. He gives you a goofy smile and turns the car off.<br/>
“Today’s the day. I didn’t get much sleep” he said, walking with you to the front doors. “I was up all night thinking about talking to Shavo”. You laughed, “of course. I’m hyped to see Daron” your heart skipped a beat thinking of him again. Ivan gave you a look that said ‘simp’. Everyone in the band knows how much you love Daron. You just hope they don’t grill you about it while he’s around.<br/>
The sound of fast drumming echoes down the hall, and you recognize the beat as one of your band’s most popular songs. “God oh god” you say inside your head, “we're gonna have to play in front of soad..they’ll be listening and judging our skills..”.<br/>
Ivan opens the door to the studio and you’re immediately met with the excited yells of Liam, the drummer, and Mishka, the singer. They’re yelling “WHY DO THEY ALWAYS SEND THE POOR” because of course they are.<br/>
You run towards them and yell “WAKE UP” as you set your guitar case down and begin to take the guitar out. Liam continues practicing while Mishka and Ivan set up their equipment for the final practice before meeting soad. You tell yourself to not be too nervous, or you’ll end up making a fatal musical mistake in front of your favorite musicians. Especially Daron..since he’s been your inspiration for guitar for the longest time.<br/>
Liam stops drumming and calls for everyone’s attention. “Guys, i need to show you something.” You all gather to find out what it is, and he pulls out his phone. “Look at this text” he says as he opens his messages, and opens his texts to Serj Tankian. You feel a sense of intimidation knowing that Liam is actually friends with Serj, and gets along so well with him too. Silently thanking him in your head for making it possible for you to meet the band, you turn your attention back to the phone.</p>
<p>Just got 5 ounces of dank marijuana. Looking forward to the tour.</p>
<p>Below serj’s text was a photo of himself holding a bong and making a funny crazy face. How blessed you are to be able to meet this man..</p>
<p>	Everyone picks up their instruments in excitement, and you start practice.<br/>
By the time you’re done going through the setlist, it’s 4 pm and time to meet up at the park to move into the huge tour bus that you’ll be in for a week. Mishka approaches you when you’re putting your guitar back in it’s case. Her snow white hair flutters with her as she walks, and you can see why Elle is so into her. “Hey, do you think Serj thinks i’m a good singer?” She quietly asks you, but Liam overhears and interjects. “He does. He's heard our album. you know that!". Mishka looks away and covers her mouth. She’s most likely smiling but doesn’t want you to see. Liam laughs and runs out to his car to get going to the park. “God damn it. Liam!!” Mishka yells at him, but he’s gone. She sighs heavily, “I’m sharing a car with him so i have to go too now. I guess.” You smile at her and she does the same, but only for a split second. After she leaves you hear Ivan’s boots clacking on the floor towards the wall of basses. He’s silent for a while, then softly says “I don’t know which one of these to take….i love all of them so much…” he makes fake crying noises and you pat his shoulder. “Take two of them” you suggest, and he nods. He chooses two beautiful Ernie Ball basses. They almost make you want to switch to playing bass instead..but your love of guitar, and a certain guitarist, is much too strong.<br/>
“I’m not nervous.” Ivan says unconvincingly. “I’m not at all..im not..im okay-” you interrupt him with a hug “shh it's okay. You’re gonna do great.” He takes a deep breath and carries his equipment to his car. You do the same, and as you get into your carseat you see him give you a thumbs up out his window.<br/>
Enough sitting in your car and waiting for your girl, it’s time to meet soad.</p>
<p>	You can see the massive tour bus when you arrive at the park. Imagining everyone in it together made you hyped for all the soon to be made memories. There wasn’t anybody else at the park, and the weather was pretty dark and cloudy.<br/>
Mishka and Liam are already there, since they left slightly earlier. They’re walking around to the other side of the tour bus.. You park next to Liam’s car, and you hear Ivan pull up shortly after. You walk together to follow the other two. When you turn the corner to the other side of the bus, you almost choke on air. Standing there with your bandmates is Serj and some other guy, probably the driver. Liam notices you two and waves his arm dramatically. Serj turns to look where Liam is waving at and smiles at you and Ivan. Oh my god.<br/>
“Good to meet you all.” he says, and you almost die.”Should we get going?” he gestures towards the bus. Liam runs onto the bus without hesitation while yelling WEEEOOOOO. Serj chuckles at his antics and follows after him. Mishka gracefully enters the bus, looking completely unfazed by being in her favorite singer’s presence. You know she’s flipping out on the inside though. That reminds you..you haven’t even seen Daron yet and you’re dying inside. He’s in there. Once you step on that bus you’ll be on the road for about 5 hours on the drive to Texas. There is no turning back.You feel a tap on your shoulder in your trance, and Ivan is suddenly there. “Let’s go, we're on a schedule” he says, and heads into the tour bus. You swallow, and follow him in. And so the adventure begins….</p>
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